The open-sourcing of the platforms for many operating systems, on both mobile devices and PCs, has encouraged the creation of numerous applications for use by owners of both. Additionally, due to the largely connected nature of all these devices, through, for example, the Internet, willing participants can engage in the provision of data on a massive scale, such that by using the crowd, data on behaviors, environments, localities, etc. can be obtained in a swift and comprehensive manner. Crowd-sourced data also has another use, which relates to the willingness of one person to help another. For example, online product reviews are an example of this type of crowd-sourcing, where a potentially unknown entity voluntarily creates information usable by another purchaser of a product.
Several attempts have been made to provide tours for use by automobile drivers, these examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,795, which generally relates to an electronic tour guide. The system includes a GPS receiver, a computer, and a database of pre-recorded information. These components may be contained in one housing, and may be permanently installed in a vehicle. The database contains information pertaining to various geographical regions. The computer receives a signal from the GPS indicating the position of the vehicle. The computer then retrieves information from the database, the retrieved information corresponding to the position determined by the GPS receiver. The information is presented to the traveler, either on a video display or through an audio playback unit. The system can therefore provide information on the history, geography, and/or culture, relating to the region through which the vehicle is traveling. The information can be modified to include specific reference to points of interest with respect to the instantaneous position and orientation of the vehicle.
Another example is found in US 2008/0162042. This application relates to an improved guidance system and method, providing a packaged tour object having tour directions and media related to points of interest of a tour for playing via a telematics unit. A user is provided, via their telematics unit, with specific directions to access points of interest of the tour in a certain sequence, while the telematics unit optionally conveys media content to the user at appropriate points. The media content may be keyed to an upcoming site, and may comprise audio and/or visual information. In addition, user convenience information such as parking and ticketing information may be contained in the packaged tour object for presentation via the telematics unit.
These are just a few examples of existing audio tour information. There is great potential, however, to utilize social resources to provide an increased supply and variety of tours.